Let's Not Be Alone
by booksforbreakfast
Summary: Katniss and Peeta have been avoiding each other for years. Can one party change the rest of their lives? One-shot. Modern AU.


**Hello! The first part of this one-shot is based off of the song Let's Not Be Alone Tonight by R5.**

Katniss knew that she was a sucker. She and Annie both knew it, and Annie definitely took advantage of her weakness, by convincing her to go to parties and other mindless social gatherings with just a flutter of her big brown eyes.

The party that she was roped into today was at Annie's boyfriend's house. It was a huge colonial in the outskirts of the town, a place that Katniss had been with Annie a few times before. But Katniss was still uncomfortable, even though Finnick and Annie (mostly just Annie) tried their hardest to include her. She just wasn't a party girl.

Katniss smoothed out the wrinkles in her new red dress, a dress that Annie had made her buy for the occasion. She took a sip of her Coke (no alcohol for her, if they wanted to ruin their own lives, she didn't care), and surveyed the room. Sound beat down on her from every direction, and she decided to step outside. _Senior year of high school,_ she thought, _and I'm still not used to this._

The night air was cool on her skin as she walked onto the patio, the only person not inside at the party. She swirled her drink around and slipped out of her pain-inducing black pumps, preferring the soft damp feel of the grass on her tortured feet. Katniss looked around the big yard, and headed in the direction of the small sitting area that dwelled in the trees, still in the sightline of the house.

She had been alone for a while, when a figure emerged from the trees. Peeta Mellark. Nothing more than casual acquaintances, Katniss would say, though she was completely and utterly in love with him. They had danced around each other for the past year, neither of them stepping forward to start anything. Annie hated Peeta- for some unknown reason, Katniss had no idea how anyone could hate him- and Finnick hated Katniss. And so, they danced.

This is why Katniss was completely surprised when Peeta plopped into the lawn chair next to her with a sigh.

"Hey," he said with a smile.

"Hi," she responded nervously. Katniss never had a way with words, in love or not, and sparkling conversation was _not_ her forte.

Peeta took a sip of his soda. "Quite a party, huh?"

Katniss nodded. "I guess."

"Not a party person?" Peeta asked, spot on.

She smiled. "Not at all. Annie brings me to these things."

"Same here. I prefer… smaller gatherings."

"I frankly don't know how Finnick handles this." Katniss turned to Peeta, crossing her legs.

"True. Hey, where are you going to college?"

"I'm going to State. You know, it saves money." Katniss relaxed a little under his kind eyes and gentle smile, getting into the conversation.

Peeta nodded. "I understand that completely. And what are you studying?"

She smiled. "I'm studying biology, chemistry, physics, and stuff like that. I'm gonna be a big animal vet."

"That is so cool!" Peeta exclaimed, leaning towards her. "I do not have the guts to do stuff like that."

"It's easier than you would think."

"No, I would probably faint." They both started laughing, and Peeta moved his chair closer.

"Where are you going?" Katniss asked, staring at the spot where their hands were, just inches away from each other.

"I'm going to the culinary school. I intend to start my own bakery someday." Katniss nodded, smiling at him. They talked longer, topics straying from politics to plans for the future, but eventually they drifted into silence.

"Thanks," Katniss said, interrupting the quiet. "You know, for hanging out with me. I'm always alone at these things."

"It was my pleasure. But, Katniss, let's not be alone tonight."

Katniss grinned. "Agreed." There was silence for a few more minutes. "Peeta I really like you." Her eyes widened after her blunt statement. She was never so straightforward, not with Gale, or anyone else. And Peeta wasn't normally her type, but with him… she felt a comfort that she had never felt anywhere else. She had surprised herself.

But Peeta's answer surprised her even more. "I really like you too." He took her hand, rubbing his thumb in circles over her flesh.

Katniss laughed. "You know, I think I lost all my friends." She glanced over at the window of the house, where Annie and Johanna stood, staring disapprovingly at her.

Peeta smiled. "And I think it's all my fault. But I like how we get along like…" he chuckled. "Snow and New York." Katniss scoffed at that one. Earlier in the school year the senior class took a trip to New York City, and they were going to do a ton of fun things outside but then, it snowed. The entire trip.

"Wanna, go dance?" Peeta asked cautiously.

Katniss nodded. "I'd love too." They walked inside, Katniss grabbing her shoes on the way. Peeta led her to the back, where they swayed back and forth to the beat of the music.

As they danced, Peeta looked down at Katniss. "You know, I think I lost all my friends." He whispered in her ear.

"It's all my fault." Katniss said.

Peeta lowered his lips almost to hers. "But I'm so glad that you came."

"The feeling is mutual."

Peeta closed the gap and kissed her.

 ***Three years later***

"I'm so nervous," Katniss confided in Prim, running her hands over her white gown. It reminded her of all those years ago when she did the same to that little red dress at the party that brought her and Peeta together.

Prim smiled and hugged her sister. "You're going to do wonderful. But it's about time okay?" Prim lowered the veil over Katniss's head, and handed her the bouquet of white flowers.

They lined up in the hall outside of the sanctuary, and Katniss watched as Prim, her only bridesmaid, glided down the aisle with Peeta's best man, absolutely glowing in her green dress. Then Peeta's father took her arm.

"Ready sweetie?" She nodded, and they begin their walk down the aisle. She was so nervous, and then… she saw Peeta at the altar. He beamed at her, and her nerves dissipated, and all she could focus on was how handsome and loving her soon-to-be husband looked. Katniss glided down the aisle towards the love of her life.

 ***Two years later***

Katniss peered around the corner of Aster's nursery, and smiled at the sight. Peeta was sitting in the rocking chair, Aster cuddled to his chest, sleeping as well as the four-week-old baby. The fact that they had been away so long had alerted her that something was wrong. After groaning and telling him that it actually _was_ his turn to feed her, he hadn't come back.

Creeping over to them, she scooped the sleeping Aster out of his arms, and set her gently into her crib. Katniss then sat in Peeta's lap, kissing his cheek.

"Babe, come back to bed." Peeta groaned and opened his eyes. "You know, you're a wonderful father."

Peeta smiled. "And you're an amazing mother."

"I love you."

"I love you more." Just then, Aster began to wail. The new parents made their way to the crib, and Katniss picked up Aster, calming her, while Peeta strung his arms around her waist. Their little, new family was perfect. She hoped that feeling would stay forever.

 ***Three years later***

Katniss rubbed her very pregnant belly as she watched Aster dance around the living room. She glanced up at Peeta who smiled down at her.

"Seems like just yesterday she was three weeks old." Peeta stroked Katniss's brown hair.

Aster stopped dancing, and pouted, looking at her parents. "Mommy, Daddy, are you watching?"

Katniss smiled. "Of course we are sweetie."

"Mommy and Daddy," Aster said, walking over to them. "I wath wondering thomthing."

Katniss tried not to laugh, because Aster was so cute with her lisp. "Yeah?" Aster sat down on Peeta's lap, and leaned into both of them.

"When the new baby comth," she said in a serious manner, a contrast to her normally easygoing and funny behavior. "Will you guyth thtill love me?" Peeta gasped, as Katniss played will her brown curls, the ones that look exactly like hers.

"Of course we will honey," Peeta said, wrapping his arms around both his wife and daughter. "We'll be focused on the baby for a while, but we will always love you."

 ***Two years later***

Katniss fumbled opening the door, trying to juggle the two-year-old sleeping Reed who sat in her arms, and her purse. The door finally opened, and she let her purse fall to the floor, ushering Aster, who was now five, into the mudroom. Aster hovered around her mother's feet as Katniss walked into the living room to set Reed on the couch.

"Mommy, I'm hungry!" Aster said, looking up at her mother.

Katniss scooped up her daughter. "I know sweetie, why don't I put on a show for you while I make dinner?" Aster nodded, and her mom set her on the couch and turned on a Disney show for them. With Peeta away at a catering that he would be at all week, she was a bit stressed about having to care for their children alone.

As Katniss started to boil the water for spaghetti (Peeta was the cook in the family, not her), she heard Reed start to whine. As she went to get him, she saw Aster holding him in her arms, both their eyes glued to the TV. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

 ***Four years later***

Aster had taken the bus to be with her friends, but Peeta insisted that they would drive Reed to his first day of first grade.

"Peeta, he's been to school already," Katniss reminded him. "We don't have to drive him."

Peeta took a bite of cereal. "This is a huge landmark Katniss." He checked his watch. "In fact, we should take pictures on the front porch now if we don't want to be late." He got up and grabbed the camera, calling to Reed, as Katniss hurried after him.

"Babe, we already got pictures of him and Aster."

"I want to get pictures of him." They did, and after driving him to school and a long session of goodbye's-during which Reed exclaimed, "Dad, I'm not a baby!"- Katniss turned to Peeta when they were back in the car.

"What is this really about?"

"What do you mean?"

Katniss raised her eyebrows at him. "Peeta."

He shrugged. "It just feels as if he is growing up so fast. Like yesterday he was born, and tomorrow he will have kids of his own."

"But we have him now."

 ***Four years later***

"What?" Peeta asked, whirling around to stare at his thirteen-year-old daughter. "A boy?"

Aster sighed and crossed her arms. "Yeah dad, that's how dating normally happens."

"You're thirteen!"

Katniss watched the scene smiling. She found it incredibly adorable when Peeta got overprotective of their daughter, even though Aster completely hated it. She smirked as Aster stormed off, probably going to find Reed. The two were good friends despite being siblings, which Katniss loved.

Putting an arm around her husband she smiled. "Peeta, maybe you're being irrational. She is in seventh grade, and we trust her. We don't have to let her go out on dates, but having a boyfriend? I think that's fine."

Peeta wrapped his arms around Katniss and buried his face in her hair. "But she's my little girl. I don't want her around boys."

"We have to trust her to make her own decisions. She is getting older."

"I know, I'm just worried about her."

Katniss smiled wide. "But she'll always be your little girl."

 ***Two years later***

"Go Reed!" Aster yelled, throwing her fist up in the air to cheer for her younger brother. Katniss smiled as Reed ran down the field, kicking the soccer ball in front of him. The twelve year old was doing wonderfully at his first ever travel soccer game.

"He's doing awesome." Peeta whispered in Katniss's ear.

She smiled. "Just like you in high school."

Peeta laughed and nodded, staring at the curly haired boy as he scored another goal for his team. Both their children were quite talented, Reed loving soccer and helping his mother more and more at their vet clinic- the one that he would probably run one day after a soccer career- and Aster mastering the cello, and loving gymnastics.

Their family was very busy, but Katniss could not be more content. Peeta still had his bakery, but probably would retire when Aster went off to college so that he could spend more time with Reed and help Katniss with the vet. Their family was wonderful.

 ***Two years later***

Katniss and Peeta watched proudly as Aster walked across the stage to receive her diploma. She was going to Julliard, a longtime dream of hers, to become a professional cellist. Later in life she wanted to go back to school to become a music therapist for children with special needs. Her gymnastics dream fell through a year ago when she brock her ankle, and couldn't get a scholarship being a gymnast.

Either way, Katniss was extremely proud of her daughter, and tears came to her eyes.

"Hey mom," Reed said from next to her. "You said that you wouldn't cry."

Katniss smiled at her son, who just ended his freshman year of high school. "I know honey, I'm just so proud of both of you."

Reed put his hands up. "I'm not the one graduating."

From her other side, Peeta hugged her. "I love you."

"And I, you."

"Look at the family that we made together."

"It's beautiful," Katniss said, leaning into him. "And to think, it all started with a high school party."

 **There you have it! Hope you guys enjoyed, it turned out longer than I thought it would. Please review!**


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